


In aqua vitae memorias

by scherryzade



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Flash Fic, Gen, Memories, Moonshine, distillation, in memoriam, uisge beatha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-08
Updated: 2013-08-08
Packaged: 2017-12-22 20:51:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/917889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scherryzade/pseuds/scherryzade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>In vino veritas, in aqua sanitas</em>. In wine there is truth, in water there is health - in the water of life there are memories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In aqua vitae memorias

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to SGA Flashfic for the In Memoriam challenge on [September 16th, 2009](http://sga-flashfic.livejournal.com/876268.html)

The grain is not, technically, barley, but then, it is not, technically, like any grain found on Earth.

Milled fine and baked into bread, it did not suit their palates, but they continued to import a token amount each year, because the Callan were old allies of Athos.

 

The water is first from a small spring on the Lantean mainland, near the Athosian settlement.

The Athosian children helped to cut the peat that was used to dry the malted barley.

 

The water is then from the intricate, delicate purification system of Atlantis.

It survived ten thousand years of disuse and ought to perhaps have been forgiven when it failed, even if Dr McKay was attempting to make decent coffee at the time.

 

The yeast is a happy accident, an experiment abandoned when the storm bore down on the city, rediscovered later and only jokingly passed on.

Nothing was every really thrown away, that first year.

 

The still is three parts inappropriately re-commissioned Earth-made chemical apparatus to two parts Ancient technology.

It may even have been Ancient distilling equipment, but it's a little unclear, because certain records in the database have been heavily encrypted.

 

The new-make spirit is _fierce_.

AR-3 disappeared for two days, and it was three months before Stackhouse discovered the tattoo.

 

The barrel is small, and once held fortified _ruus_ wine.

It came to Atlantis with the Kertalii, stuffed with the barest provisions a family could grab when they fled from the Wraith, and was left behind when the Athosians found them a home.

 

The water is finally from M35-117, and is purified just as it was on Lantea, leaving nothing but H20.

However often this was pointed out, no-one ever really thought it tasted the same.

 

The bottle is plain.

The clear glass once held cheap vodka from the duty-free at Ruzyně Airport, and is now stoppered with cork from Guin and sealed with a blue-green wax from Chokil.

 

The label is simple and hand written, marked with a year, 2004, and a series of seven symbols.

They have not been dialed in 9 years.

 

The liquid is a deep golden brown that glows in lamplight.

It's poured with a steady hand, but flows slowly, as if reluctant to give up its memories.

 

The toast is simple.

"Atlantis."

 

**Author's Note:**

> Do you really think that the finest minds of a generation would make _moonshine_?
> 
> The Callan from The Macallan (Speyside), Kertalii from Talisker (Skye), Guin from Glengoyne ('Glen Guin', just barely Highland), and Chokil from Kilchoman (Islay). Clearly I have too much time on my hands.


End file.
